Following an extended soft opening, The Explorium Hospitality Group has announced that WayfinderMKE will officially open its doors to the public at 2108 N. Farwell Ave. on Wednesday, April 16.
The globally inspired restaurant and brewery, which occupies the former Good City Brewing taproom, now features a chef-driven menu showcasing shareable dishes inspired by various culinary traditions from across the globe. The menu is complemented by a beverage menu featuring various craft beers, wine and cocktails.
To celebrate WayfinderMKE’s opening, guests are invited to stop in for a special happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. with special pricing on select wine, beer, featured cocktails and four specially-priced small plates.
On the menu
A trip to WayfinderMKE during its soft opening offered up a first look at some of the dishes available among the broad range of plates on the menu (each item includes a suggested wine and beer pairing if you’re interested in enhancing your experience).
Offerings I’d categorize under bar snacks include Bacon Wrapped Dates with chii bourbon sauce served with arugula and microgreens ($12); and Deviled Scotch Eggs wrapped win rosemary-thyme-lamb crust and served with creamy deviled yolk filling on fresh arugula ($12).
Plant-based offerings feature items like caramelized sweet plantains paired with pigeon pea rice flavored with sofrito, annatto and peppers ($9); a due of creamy whipped feta and garlic hummus served with crostini and fresh vegetables ($16); and Blue Brussels featuruing crispy Brussels sprouts, diced salt pork (request without pork for vegan/vegetarian) in macerated blueberry and shishito pepper sauce flavored with roasted garlic, horseradish and crushed red pepper ($12).
Seafood options include Gochujang-glazed prawns with sea bean salad, tomatoes, watercress, brunoise red pepper and toasted sesame-sherry-Dijon vinaigrette ($22); charred octopus marinated in balsamic and shallots served atop arugula with radishes, parsley and olive oil ($18); and Curry Mussels featuring a unique curry coconut broth and grilled baguette ($12).
Peking Pig features crispy skinned pork belly in Peking sauce with pickled red cabbage, bok choy and a crispy parsnip nest with sesame and shaved garlic ($12); while Filipino Adobo Chicken wings are seasoned with soy, vinegar, bay and garlic and cooked until fall-off-the-bone tender with “Filipino pico” crispy garlic and rice ($9).
Braised oxtail promises ultra tender beef with roasted garlic and herb fingerling potatoes, broccolini, jus and Bulls Blood microgreens ($18); while Pomme Frites showcase roasted fingerling potatoes seasoned with rosemary, thyme and garlic, drizzled with garlic aioli and served with slices of grilled beef tenderloin and demi-glace ($21).
The Lost in the Sauce: Wayfinder Hazy Pale Ale ($7) was a nice match for the steak and frites. Meanwhile the Explorium Piña Colada Hard Selzer was a pretty fair match for most of the dishes we tried.
Beyond plates
In addition to everyday dining, WayfinderMKE also features both private and semi-private spaces available to rent for gatherings, catered dinners and corporate events.
Guests can also look forward to the debut of The Lanai, a rooftop tiki bar experience that is slated to open Thursday, May 15.
WayfinderMKE hours are Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
